Drug-resistant HIV may end fall in deaths, warn experts

HIV strains which are resistant to drugs could end ten years of falling Aids-related deaths in poorer countries, warned experts at a global summit on the disease.

In East Africa – one of the world’s poorest regions – resistance to anti-retroviral drugs is increasing at 29 per cent a year, scientists say.

Researchers Dr Silvia Bertagnolio from the World Health Organization and Dr Ravindra Gupta at University College London warned rising HIV drug resistance could ‘jeopardise a decade-long trend of decreasing Aids-related illness and death in low and middle-income countries’.

Dr Elly Katabira, president of the International Aids Society, said: ‘We must resolve together never to go backwards. Future generations are counting on our courage.’

He was addressing delegates at the International Aids Conference in Washington DC, where Sir Elton John is due to speak in the next few days.

Deborah Jack, chief executive of the National Aids Trust, concluded: ‘We need further research into the causes of this drug resistance in Africa, and urgent action to support people’s daily access to their medication.’

While drug-resistant HIV is not seen as a serious problem in Europe, governments in sub-Saharan Africa have been implored not to cut Aids funding.